Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye smiled as Syd reassured her that she didn't have to prove herself anymore. "Thank you," she softly replied. "I wasn't strong at first, but the staff there didn't leave me with much choice. I had to become a fighter to survive... mentally more than anything." She smiled as she studied his face. "Though I think you and me would make a fine pair of troublemakers!"

Skye continued to snuggle close to the young man as he spoke to her. She quickly looked up at him with great curiosity when he said his dad liked her. She too blushed, upon hearing she'd been topic of conversation between Syd and James. "Wow... Your dad is happy for us? I'm relieved... and surprised, I guess. James always seems like a difficult man to please, so it means a lot to know your family is rooting for us."

She couldn't help but laugh at Syd's sarcasm regarding the various blossoming couples around the place. "Honestly, you're right! The two of us must be picking up on the romantic vibes around the place. It's contagious for sure," she joked. "All that's left is to find a nice man for your grandma. Though he'd have to be pretty tough to handle someone like Shannon!" She nodded in agreement about keeping their ears to the ground to try 'tag on' to someone's date. "Home is fine for now. But what shall we do?" she excitedly asked him. "Other than cause trouble, like the tearaways we are."


Pyroclast (Syd)

Conor Sullivan
~Emery Callahan~​

Conor sat back in his seat and comically allowed his jaw to drop. "The pure cheek of this. I'm starting to feel victimised around here. Bullies is what you ladies are," he told them. "I wish my buddy Jackson had stuck around to defend me. Or at least to help with the dishes..." He smiled when Alex noted she wouldn't want to swap the cute child. "Don't be fooled. She's a cute little bundle of bossiness and cheek."

"Gotta show people who's boss," Emery remarked. She then hopped down from her seat and pointed towards the lounger. "I'm going to let you two kiss 'cos I have work to do. I told my mummy I'd draw a picture for her so that's what I'm doing." With that, the child made her way into the lounge, keeping the interior door open so Conor could still keep an eye on her.

Conor looked to Alex and shook his head. "I never said anything about kissing. Not that I'd be against it..." he flirted with Alex. "Ah, damn. I suppose Michelle's only become more disinterested in school with the others being home-schooled. And if she takes after me, then it's in her blood to hate school. I think sport was the only thing I never got told off in. The rest of the time I was pissing about and get shouted at... if I showed up at all."

When Alex mentioned interviewing for Fallon's replacement, Conor briefly looked away with sadness in his eyes. "And how are you coping? Without your sister..."

The two were briefly interrupted when James entered the kitchen through the back patio door. He informed Conor that he was heading out for a few hours to visit Elijah, but assured him he'd be back in time to get everyone in place at the parade that afternoon. He was clearly short on time as he didn't stick around long to talk.

neverbackdown (Alex)

Arlene Sullivan​

"Sir, if you're James Dean, then I'm the Queen of England," Arlene scoffed at Ryan's response. Still, despite her tone, she still presented him with a teasing smirk. "Yep, I'm going to stick with you being Sherlock Holmes.But I shall keep your secret providing you will leave the Porters standing in your crackdown on the Dublin gangs." Despite her playing along, she wasn't a fool and didn't doubt Ryan was treating her every word with suspicion. He was still waiting for confirmation of her identity, so she didn't expect him to take her words as genuine.

The conversation was interrupted when two more men arrived on the scene. Both were unfamiliar to Arlene and she was starting to wonder if she knew anyone around the place at all. She acknowledged Ryan's remark about James not being on top of welcoming his guests, but let out a short laugh. "If James is the man I remember, he would have had this whole situation under control and I'd have been through these gates, unpacked and settled, a good ten minutes ago. But... James isn't expecting me. I thought I'd surprise the family," she said, rolling her eyes as it was so far going down like a lead balloon. "Say, is Shannon around these days? Whenever I've phoned this place she's been off travelling or slumming it in England."

When it seemed like Rudy and Kieran were going to escort her to the house, Arlene sent Ryan a courteous nod. "Well, it's been nice talking to you, Mr. Holmes." She then grabbed the handle of her suitcase so she could drag it along with her as she followed the two other men. "So, I've met Sherlock Holmes. Now who might the both of you be?" she curiously asked Kieran and Rudolph.

They wouldn't find James as they'd managed to miss him as he'd made his way to the garage and got into his car so he could take some time out by himself to visit Elijah. He'd only just been given clearance by the facility to see his incarcerated brother.


Fletchawk (Ryan) Shireling (Kieran, Rudolph)

James Porter​

Despite being desperate to see his brother again, James hadn't been looking forward to having to see Elijah back in the mental institute. After being signed in and searched more thoroughly than he'd have liked, James was eventually escorted to the visiting room where his brother was waiting for him. One of the younger man's wrists was cuffed and securely connected to solid bar in the centre of the table. James remembered visiting him the last time he was incarcerated and how doped up on medication Elijah had been. He only hoped he could get some sense out of his brother today. James glanced back to the two burly wardens standing guard at the door, briefly rolling his eyes. He then looked back to his brother and sat down at the table in the chair opposite him. "Eli? I've come to see you and to check on how these jumped up pricks are treating ya..."

Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[Pyroclast]

Adam Walker

Adam's day didn't usually start before noon after he'd worked a shift the night before. But Mallory had specifically requested to meet him in the morning and he didn't want to reschedule their first date. Well, maybe calling it a date was a stretch - but that's what he was spending time on his hair for. That and killing time waiting for the click of the front door that signified his parents leaving the house for the day. To tell them he was meeting a girl would bring forth a myriad of unwanted questions that he wasn't in the mood to answer, so he decided sneaking out was a better plan.

Working nights had hardened Adam against the cold a little, but still he felt it as he wandered through the park looking for the right girl. When he finally spotted her, he forgot about being cold and a boyish grin spread across his face. She looked just as sweet as the night they'd met.
"Do you know how many pretty blondes I nearly sat next to before I found you?"
Adam stood, smiling down at her for a second before tentatively taking a seat on the damp wooden bench. The sun hadn't quite melted away the frost yet, and it was cold to the touch. "You must be one of the best students in your class to have been granted a day off," he teased. Skipping school wasn't something he would normally condone, but he was just pleased she'd found the time to see him. It certainly wasn't something he'd have done.

Interactions
neverbackdown Mallory

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers and Kieran Joyce​

"He must've been talking about someone else," Rudy said with a shrug when informed that Arlene's visit was unannounced. "I think Shannon is around here somewhere..."

Rudy offered to take the woman's baggage and, if she accepted the invitation, he carried it with ease across the rumblestrip as they walked up the drive.

When Arlene asked them who they were, Kieran took it as an opportunity to exercise sarcastic wit. "Why, this is J. Gatsby," said Kieran in a humorous whispering tone. "I heard he was the Fuhrer's cousin, a German spy in the war."

"Stuff it, your evangelical holiness," Rudy retorted with a snigger. "That louse was Austrian anyways." He turned his attention to Arlene and explained, "My name's Rudolph Meyers, I'm a business associate of Mr. Porter and a friend of the family." He hooked a thumb at Kieran. "This is Mr. Joyce, he's Lucy's cousin from America. He's staying with us for a few months before he leaves to take his deaconate position," Rudolph repeated this last part as Kieran had told him without understanding what it actually meant. Before long they were a good ways up the drive and were able to watch as James passed by in his automobile.

"Well there goes James," Kieran observed. Rudy turned back to the blonde-headed woman. She was a pretty thing, like all the women who were related to the Porters by blood or marriage, or who claimed to be. She had a hard, dangerous sort of look about her as well if you knew the right things to look for--the strength of the stance, the quickness of the eye. When Rudy turned again he noticed Kieran was gone, having disappeared down a side path presumably to go into the house and leave all of the settling in of the guests to him. He turned back to Arlene, with his guard noticeably up.

"Someone surely will know who you are, miss," he said apologetically as he held open the front door for her to step inside the house and shut it behind them.

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd smirked when Skye described James as being difficult to please. It brought his father's words back to the forefront of his mind: 'You'd have to try pretty damn hard to disappoint me where your life choices are concerned.' Perhaps before that conversation, he would have agreed with her.
"I think it's more that he's hard to de-stress, you know? He's the one that deals with all the heavy stuff, so it's just hard to get him to switch off. Like he doesn't have enough time to enjoy things. He does care, he's just always got his mind on something." Syd smiled down at Skye and gently caressed her arm with his fingers. Knowing how rare it was these days, he was still feeling uplifted from the bonding time he'd managed to get with his dad that morning.

"Yeah, that must be it. Can't rely on my charms alone to get the attention of a girl like you," he teased, kissing her on the head. When she commented on his grandma's hard personality, Syd burst out laughing. "She is a lot, I'll give you that! There are men out there that need a strong woman to keep them on their feet though. Or I guess some just like getting bossed around...I'm sure she'll make someone very happy," he grinned, doing his best to stifle his laughter.

"Aw, no trouble?" he then asked, feigning disappointment with a small pout. "Well that's my fantasies out the window..." Lounging comfortably with Skye in his arms was putting him in a exceptionally good mood and he couldn't stop smiling, a flirtatious glimmer appearing in his eyes. "Well...besides the fact that I've just wracked my body in the gym, you said you wanted to fight me, right?" He cuddled into her, wrapping his hands around her fists and lifting them to make soft punch motions. "So that's one unsupervised indoor date night we could do. That is, if you still think you can take me on..."

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene was sure she could carry her belongings herself, but as Rudolph had offered, she thought it best to let him go ahead rather than seem ungrateful. She wasn't yet sure if he would fall into the same category, but some men were uncomfortable being prevented from acting like gentlemen. She figured her showing up unannounced would be controversial enough for one day. "Thank you," she told him, letting him grab her case.

When Rudolph was introduced as Gatsby, Arlene smirked. "Well, it's good to meet you, 'old sport'," she told him. She then listened as the two men shot remarks back at each other. When Kieran was introduced as Lucy's cousin, she figured he was on Shannon's side of the family, being that Emmet only had brothers so any cousins on his side would surely carry the Sullivan surname. When mention of his relationship to religion was mentioned, she nodded her head. "Ah, I recall Shannon's parents - your grandparents - were quite religious. I do hope our Aunt Shannon hasn't been too blasphemous in your presence, Mr. Joyce," she remarked.

Arlene looked to the car as James was pointed out as being the driver. He always was quite serious but she'd been hoping to catch him and get the formalities out of the way from the start. Still, she hoped that meant she would have time to relax a little with her cousins first. She had very little intention of returning to New York and the old life she had left there, so hoped her family in Dublin would have some use for her, or at least be able to let her stay.

After Kieran had gone, Rudolph once again addressed her. "Isn't anyone else home? Lucy, Conor, Sinead, Shannon... they know me and will clear this up in a second. This is all becoming a little awkward," she drily noted.

Shireling (Kieran, Rudy)

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers​

Rudy set her bag down in an orderly way against the wall by the door and walked to her side with his hands in his pockets. He had taken the moment to glance over the back of her outfit and satisfied himself that she was not armed. He noticeably relaxed, and turned toward her to speak.

"Someone will be down soon, I'm sure," he said reassuringly, "would you care for a drink?"

At his own suggestion he walked to the nearby liquor cabinet to pour himself a stiff one. As he poured the amber liquid into a crystal glass, he caught Arlene's gaze and studied it for a second, again assessing if he had let the wrong person into his house. He was confident, however, that this was a Sullivan of some stripe.

His perhaps too-long studying of the new houseguest had diverted his attention sufficiently that his glass had run over. His look of serene confidence was replaced with a laughable, almost school boy-like expression of surprise.

"Dear me," he sputtered quickly, setting the decanter right again and raising the overfull glass to his lips. "I swear this is my first today."

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene and Shannon Sullivan​

Arlene had carried her own shoulder bag in with her and she placed it down on the coffee table once in the guest lounge. Whilst she wasn't concealing any weapons on herself, she had a gun stored safely in her bag. In New York and Chicago, especially, she'd learned long ago to be ready to protect herself should the need arise. There had been her fair share of such needs in the past. Why would she expect Dublin to be any different? Judging by Ryan's earlier words about there being trouble for the Porters, she was right to be cautious.

When asked if she cared for a drink, Arlene nodded her head but joined Rudolph at the liquor cabinet. She watched him pour his drink and couldn't help but snicker as he overfilled the glass. Once he'd poured his own drink, she took the decanter from him, not giving him much chance to pour her drink for her. "Hmm. Are you really sure it's your first?" she teasingly asked. She then proceeded to pour a small amount of alcohol into the glass tumbler, her concentration was clearly on giving herself a very precise quantity of the drink. "I had more than enough to drink during the long journey here. I guess now is the time to reign it in a little," she offered an explanation.

Arlene took a sip from her glass before looking to Rudolph. "So... How did you find yourself working for my family? Is Dublin having an employment crisis. Or do you have some kind of a death wish or masochistic tendencies? There's never a dull moment here, I'm certain of that," she half-joked.

"Arlene! Where the bloody hell did Rudy drag you out from?" the female voice belonging to Shannon asked as she stepped into the lounge. She rolled her eyes at her niece. "I knew you couldn't keep avoiding Ireland. You've got a lot of catching up to do, love. And do you need to tell me anything? Like, how my beautiful niece still has no husband?"

"Lovely to see you too, Shannon," Arlene said, grinning at her aunt. She sent an exasperated look Rudolph's way as Shannon put on the nagging aunt routine. "I'm very picky, don't you know?" Arlene focused back on Rudolph and raised a curious eyebrow. "Have I cleared security yet?" she asked.

Shireling (Rudolph)

Conor Sullivan
​

As Conor sat with Alex, Braden entered the kitchen and pointed outside. "Conor, Pistol got outside and I think you need to find him before he goes missing. Uncle James said I'm not allowed outside until I finish my spelling work and I haven't finished it yet."

"Alright, mate," Conor said. After letting out a groan, he got up from his seat. "Alex, please can you keep an eye on Emmy whilst I rescue Lucy's pet rat?" he asked. Conor then headed outside in search of the small dog. Soon he found the pup excitedly running across the lawn and managed to catch it, picking the small animal up in one hand. "You are too small to be a dog, Pistol," he assured the animal. "Adorable, though."

On his way back to the house, Conor had noticed Ryan working in the garage. He made a point of taking Lucy's dog back inside where it was safe. Instead of returning to Alex, Conor went back outside and headed over to the garage. Ryan had arrived in Dublin a couple of weeks ago and the atmosphere between the two men hadn't gotten any less sour or awkward. Conor didn't wish to ignore it any longer and the lack of audience made this a preferred opportunity to address the matter with him.

Conor entered the garage, briefly paying attention to his own car before casually approaching Ryan. He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms as he looked directly to the other man. "I remember back in Chicago when you and I used to talk. We got along quite well, actually," he reminded the mechanic. "You've been here a couple of weeks now and we haven't had a real conversation yet. I'm not an idiot and I know you've got issues with me. Rather than avoid them and ignore the problem, isn't it time we talked? It looks like you'll be sticking around and I'm not going anywhere, so this all needs addressing. Don't you think?"


Fletchawk (Ryan)
Mention: neverbackdown (Alex)

​

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

"Actually, I've worked for the Porters in some capacity for several years. I'm sort of a transplant, you see," he said, raising the glass up to his lips and receiving a small sip of whiskey. "My father was German, my mother was Irish. When the war came and all such other nastiness, I came to live with my mother in County Cork, and after the war I moved to Dublin. I've been doing this sort of business ever since," he explained. He strategically skipped over the part where his father was strung up by the Gestapo and his mother died of tuberculosis. He was never the type to burden people with his being an orphan, although to speak truthfully he missed his parents, especially his mother, a great deal.

When Shannon burst into the room, Rudy guffawed and cleared a bit of whiskey away from the corner of his mouth with his handkerchief, folding it back up and placing it in his pocket. He listened to the interchange between the two of them. No husband, eh? He glanced back at the woman's shoulder's though and took note of Ryan's coat, a universal symbol between men of a staked claim. Besides, she was the boss's family. No sense mixing the two spheres of his life. These thoughts flashed through his mind and disappeared as Arlene looked back to ask him if she had passed inspection.

"You seem legitimate," he said coolly, "but I'll have my eye on you." He sipped his whiskey and looked deadpan.

Misty Gray (Arlene and Shannon)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye listened as Syd spoke of how difficult things were for James and couldn't help but feel bad for the man. "It must be so hard trying to juggle protecting his family and also spending normal time with them. Not to mention having to deal with everyone else - the cops, that bitch Ciara and whoever else causes trouble." She sighed. "I used to be a little scared of him, to be honest. Admittedly, I've given him some cheek in the past and been lectured in return. But I'm just glad he hasn't held any of that against me."

"Ohhh, I don't know. I think you already had my attention, Syd. Even before we first kissed," she playfully assured him. "Aww, I hope Shannon does find someone to boss around... Not just because it would take some heat off the rest of us," she joked. "Seriously, though. I hope I look that good when I'm her age. Was she a model or something?" she asked, not realising Shannon had been precisely that.

Skye scoffed when Syd mentioned them fighting and questioned if she still thought she could take him on. "Are you serious? Of course I could take you on and I will gladly prove it. I will kick your ass - I hope you're prepared for that!" She grinned. "Although, I think you're already making excuses for when I do beat you. 'I've just wrecked my body in the gym'. Yeah, right!" she teased him.

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

"Believe me, my dad has enough people to hold grudges against," Syd reassured her. "I think he'd go insane if he let himself hold onto petty arguments with you, me and my sisters. Besides, who could stay mad at you?" He smiled, entwining his fingers with hers and giving them a squeeze. His smile only grew when she said he'd already had her attention. Back then, kissing her had felt like such a risqué move. It seemed funny to remember how nervous he'd been, now knowing that she'd liked him all along.

"She was, actually," he replied. "You haven't seen the photos? We have an album of old cut-outs somewhere. She must have been about our age, I think. Really beautiful. I'm not surprised she looks the way she does now." Syd raised a hand slightly and began to run his fingers through Skye's soft, straight hair. "You know, you could make it as a model, without a doubt. Have you ever thought about it?"

"Um, excuse me?" Syd protested with a laugh, sitting up and pushing Skye off him. "What happened to "Oh, you poor thing, let me give you a massage"? You're just keen 'cause you know I'm at a disadvantage! Look, I'm weak." He raised his aching arms and flopped them back down in a pathetic motion. Despite his earlier overexertion however, Syd's energy was already coming back to him - the conversation was getting him fired up, rousing the stubbornness within him. "If you're so confident, why don't you meet me in the gym in 5? Show me what you're really made of." He pinched her slender arms to provoke her, a teasing grin on his face.

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

Charming gal. Ryan thought to himself as he walked away from the front gate and onward to his sanctuary. If it had been larger and had more amenities, he would of asked to stay in the garage instead of finding his own place in Blackrock. Although, her identity was unconfirmed, the lady had put Ryan in a better mood. He chuckled at the thought of being called Sherlock Holmes. Ryan had done what could be described as moderate in his schooling days and was vaguely familiar with who the character was and he certainly didn't compare. But it was a little flattering to be called such and maybe when it came to engines and other mechanical endeavors, Ryan was a sort of Sherlock, but he'd never admit it aloud.

Ryan thought about stopping James as he drove past him, but if James had decided to leave so soon after stating that he needed to plan for the coming parade, then it was probably important. Visibly shrugging as he watched James' vehicle pull down the drive, he noted to himself that he'd have less work to once he got to the garage. Unlike his garage back in Chicago, the Porter's was clean and he kept it that way out of respect. The smell of gasoline, oil, and grease was present as he was entered through one of the car ports that signified that cars were no longer in garage. Along with James' vehicle, Jackson's Cresta was also gone.

After changing into his work coveralls and hanging his shoulder holster on the wall, Ryan started his morning routine of starting the remaining cars and checking their fluids. It was usually quick work, until he noticed that one of the vehicles was due for an oil change. As he was gathering the oil pan and wrench, Ryan noticed that Conor had entered the garage. He ignored the large man as he slid the oil pan and himself under vehicle to undo the oil basin bolt and allow the oil to drain. His practiced movements allowed for him to complete the task in under a minute and came out from under the car to see Conor was still there, leaning against the wall.

"Can I help you, Mr. Sullivan?" The tone was the same he'd greeted the man earlier with as Ryan popped the hood. He wasn't facing the man as he tasked himself on removing the oil filter while Conor cut right to the chase. The man's words hit harder than Ryan expected as he remembered the times spent all that time ago. Pulling oil filter out and setting it aside as he turned to address the large man. His face was deadpan and a tone to match, but Ryan could feel the chained emotions straining against it's chains. "Does it? I mean that time was over a decade ago. People change. We go down different paths, have different experiences, make different decisions, different mistakes." Ryan enunciated the final word with a certain venom before he paused to listen for if the oil was done draining yet. It was not and Ryan continued, his tone darker. "Is it really so far fetched that we've grown apart? We've made our choices, some better than others, but they all have consequences." He could feel the control on his emotions starting to give way and the strain was showing on his face. Ryan wanted nothing more than to retreat to a safe place and not deal with this, but he was in his safe place and with Conor there to bring up their unspoken animosity.


Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene and Shannon Sullivan​

"German and Irish. Multi-lingual, by any chance?" Arlene asked. It was merely out of curiosity, though her tone often gave out the impression she was questioning for more than that, for information. It was a force of habit when conversing with strangers and she had to remind herself that some interactions were not business, but simply social. Deciding to level the playing field, she offered up a little of her own roots. What little she could. "I'm afraid I can't tell you of my birth roots. After being taken in by Jack Sullivan, Irish-American became my identity and one I'm happy to keep," she explained. There was no sadness or longing in her words. Arlene had been told of her adoption as soon as she was able to understand the concept and she hadn't dwelled on it as a child so was certainly past showing concern as an adult.

Arlene laughed as Rudolph said she seemed legitimate. "Well, if that's as good as your approval gets, I will take it. Just... don't be keeping an eye on me in a creepy way," she remarked.

"Arlene, please..." Shannon groaned. She approached her niece and took the jacket from over her shoulders, draping it over the back of the sofa. "Really? How many winters have you spent in New York and you think Dublin is too cold? Get a grip, love," she sarcastically remarked. Shannon wasn't sure if the jacket was Rudolph's, but on the off-chance it was, she relished the opportunity to make it awkward for both him and Arlene. "Also, we need to talk later, Arlie. I don't have a clue what you've been up for for the last few years, other than what little Jack told me when he was still alive."

Arlene simply nodded her head and watched Shannon leave the room to grab herself a coffee. "Sooo... Is this place always so quiet?" she asked Rudolph. "Things were always so loud and full of life back in Chicago. I mean... I expected little annoying children running around," she remarked. She had yet to meet the Porter teenagers and Sinead's children. She'd seen Savannah as a newborn baby, but hadn't seen the girl since. She'd yet to learn that Conor now had a daughter and still knew nothing of his secret relationship with Alex. A daughter of Vinnie Romano himself.

Shireling (Rudolph)

Conor Sullivan
​

From the moment Ryan spoke up, Conor knew the conversation wasn't going to go down too well. He wasn't surprised but was annoyed, nonetheless. As the man spoke of different paths and people changing over a decade, Conor listened and would have agreed were it not for the next words. The way Ryan emphasised "mistakes" made it clear to Conor that the man clearly did have issue with his relationship with Alex. He'd known since the man returned two weeks ago and he'd been expecting him to call him out on it by now. It had gone on long enough and Conor wasn't willing to let matters go unspoken, which was why he'd approached Ryan now.

"This is more than growing apart and you know it..." Conor continued to lean again the wall and let out a deep sigh as he thought of events from years ago. "I remember when your old man was killed and I saw the devestation it caused you. I hope I was able to offer some help to you in those times. I can say with certainty that I know and understand what you went through. My old man was killed on Vinnie's word too. Shot in front of us all as he celebrated his birthday. I hated Vinnie and his goons too," he assured him.

Conor stood up straight, no longer using the wall to prop himself up. "But Alex was not a mistake and she still isn't," he told Ryan, looking directly to his face. "Alex is not like her father, uncles or brothers. She never was. I fell in love with her and it was not a mistake. My daughter is not a mistake." Conor shook his head as he reminded himself to at least try to keep his anger in check. Still, he was picking up on the emotions Ryan was struggling to hold back and it seemed to be affecting himself. "Whatever is on your mind, just say it. You've clearly got issue with me so just fucking say it..."

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

"Noooo. I haven't seen the photos. You'll have to show me sometime. Your Gran is so glamorous," Skye enthused. The young woman then blushed when Syd told her she could be a model too. "Oh, no. I've not thought about that. You're too kind! Besides, I don't think I'd be any good at posing and keeping still long enough for the right shot. I'd probably spend the whole time in fits of awkward giggles," she admitted.

"You forfeited my sympathy with your fighting talk. Either you're tough enough for a fair fight or too weak and in need of a massage. I bet Doctor Finn is good at sports massages..." she teased. She rolled her eyes as he raised his arms and tried to over-exaggerate his weakness. "Hmm. Make it ten minutes, so I have chance to get changed and tell Finn to be on standby in case I need to call him to give you medical attention," she joked.

Skye got changed before rushing over to the Porters house. On her way towards the gym, she passed Shannon and gave her a brief explanation about going to work out in the gym. She soon headed to the basement, all kitted up in the clothes she wore when working out or when being trained by Jackson, which hadn't happened much as of late. "Are you really for a fight, boy?" she playfully asked Syd, very lightly punching him in the shoulder.


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

Ryan could feel his heart starting to pummel against his ribcage as he recognized the rush of adrenaline when Conor stepped away from the wall. The Conor that Ryan remembered would of already thrown hands, but this as an older Conor. This older one was a little better at keeping his temper, but Ryan knew it wouldn't take much more to push the man to the brink. The chains snapped and the emotions set free, but they were focused on Conor and Ryan became a persona of his anger as he laughed maliciously. "You think I was talking about the Romano wench and her daughter?" Ryan laughed even harder and it echoed through the garage, but the tone of it was venomous and toxic. "I was talking about you, ape. Yeah, the Romano gal rubs me wrong, but you're the reason she's around. It's you who kept her around even though she's a constant reminder of everything we've lost." He was yelling at this point, and had no intention of stopping. "I pity your mother and how she has a son who's plowing a constant reminder of the man who caused her and her family so much pain. Your family are saints for forgiving you. I'm am a less forgiving man. That's my fucking issue." Ryan spit on the ground between them to show his contempt for the man, ready for whatever followed.

Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh

Blake gave Jackson a face as he made the statement about being called girlfriend and smiled sweetly at the small girl. ”See you later, Princess” she told the girl before following Jackson out towards the cars. She was ready to put day clothes on and spend some time in her apartment. As she moved to open her passenger side door, it appeared that Jackson hadn’t realized that he too was in a lot less clothing than usual. Blake let out a small giggle, ”Oh my hero.” she said and cupped her hands together as she plopped into the passenger seat, batting her long dark eyelashes at him, swinging her cupped hands to her left and smiling at him gently. She laughed a moment and released her hands before shutting the Cresta door shut.
”And honey please, I’m not embarrassed of all this.” she chuckled and gestured to her body in a suggestive way. Rolling her eyes, she cracked another on of her infamous smiles before shaking out her bed head lightly. Of course, Blake wasn’t that shallow, she too thought the worst of herself at times...perhaps far too often.
Biting her bottom lip gently, Blake looked out the window and watched the world go by before her eyes turned to stare at Jackson a moment. ”How did I ever get so lucky?” she purred to him as she moved her hand to tangle it into his bed head hair. ”Hate to break it to you, but I’m ready for round two.” her blue eyes were wide eyes she looked at him. Once they were down her street and he stopped the car, Blake stepped out of the passenger side and stretched out her limbs. Bet you I can get to the bed faster, double or nothin’ on the bet you made last night. I promise you won’t make that finish line first” She winked before turning to make her way quickly towards the staircase, purse and keys in hand as she laughed teasingly.


With: Enzyme​

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson's steel eyes traced the open road, as his open palm rested on the stick. To Blake's question, he only shrugged. "Honestly, I couldn't tell ya'." He ran his tongue across his lips, looking off the road to her with an endearing little grin. At the sight of the police cruiser on the side of the road, he diverted his attention back to the road. The last thing he needed was to be hit with another two point violation and the possession of an unregistered firearm. Especially with his track record, it was hard to believe anyone would let him behind the wheel. His eyes widened once Blake told him she wanted another go. He broke his gaze off from the road for a split second to gauge her expression. "Blimey," He said with a chuckle, shaking his head lightly. "You really are mad, you know that?"

After pulling up to the side of the apartment, he led the Cresta to the curb. After stepping out himself, he moved for the passenger door to let her out. "As ballsy as I sounded back at the Porters, I do feel a little bare now that I think of it. Let's get inside before we both get ticketed." He rested his hand on her back and led her up the sidewalk. The block was almost completely empty, the occasional pedestrian crossing to the other side of the road. With the sun high in the sky, Jackson should've realized how strange it was. Of course, at the time the thought hadn't even knocked on his head. Despite the open roads, he couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched. The subtle look over his shoulder somewhat confirmed this suspicion. He only looked briefly, but he could make out a hooded man walking a few paces behind them. At first, this didn't lead down a trail to more contemplation. Once they walked up the stairs to her apartment, however, alarms in his head started ringing.

The man behind them had picked up his pace, getting uncomfortably close to them. While the stairway was narrow, forcing people to get cramped in order to reach their room, the way the man held himself was almost malicious. Perhaps he was nervous. As they approached the door, Jackson was snapped out of his train of thought at the sound of Blake's voice. He smiled to her, only a quiet, "Yeah..." escaping his lips. Out of the reflection of the apartment window, Jackson could spot the man brandishing a sharp object from his pocket. While any rational person would've assumed he was pulling out his room keys, the instinctual switch in Jackson's mind flipped. Jackson's body moved from Blake in a quick snap, his three front knuckles becoming acquainted with the potential attacker's eye socket.

Bellz (Blake) Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan
​

Calling Conor an ape had been very nearly enough to trigger the Sullivan man's fury, but he still managed to hold it back. He tightly clenched his fists at his sides and listened as Ryan continued. The man mentioned his family, particularly how difficult it was for Shannon having him and Alex together. Conor knew already the situation wasn't ideal for Shannon despite her fondness for Michelle. But he was slowly working through things with his mother. The last thing he needed was Ryan dragging it all up as freshened wounds.

"Ohh, fuck you, mate. Don't you ever mention my mother, again," he said, calmly at first. Conor never could hold his tongue, nor his fists. Part of him suspected Ryan wanted him to react violently, but his awareness wasn't about to stop him. Instead, Conor lunged forward and slammed his heavy fist into the side of Ryan's jaw...

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jackson managed to do a good job of taking care of the goon who had been following behind him. However, he would soon realise the guy wasn't alone as five more men appeared from both sides of the corridor. One of them wasted no time in wrapping his arm around Blake's neck and dragging her backwards, away from Jackson. The remaining four men descended on Jackson. They'd already been made aware of the man's boxing skills, which is why a group had been sent to take him down. There was no room for mistakes or letting either of the couple escape.

The man holding Blake remained at a distance but was clearly the one throwing, or relaying, the orders they'd been given. "Hurry up and get that prick to the docks. Boss said no theatrics, just kill him and get outta there."

Enzyme Bellz

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

​

Jackson watched as the blindsided man collapsed down the jagged stairs. While a part of him second guessed his rash decision, more goons rounded the corner of the narrow corridor. "Fuck! Get inside!" Jackson barked at Blake, holding his arm out to keep her behind him. He locked eyes with the closest man, his bloodshot eyes matching those of the attacker. The advantage of his boxing history was evident, as two powerful hooks, followed by a respective uppercut, sent the attacker to the ground. The men were far better equipped than Jackson, who was shirtless in polyester pants. The man behind quickly took the place of the incapacitated attacker, swinging violently with a metal rod. Jackson bobbed his head back, the rod narrowly missing the tip of his nose. He quickly intercepted the man's arm and gripped the back of his head, savagely slamming it against the railing of the corridor.

Jackson's hand instinctively drifted for the handgun in the back of his waistband; met with nothing, but the tag of his pants. He felt strong arms wrap around his, restricting their use. A following attacker used Jackson's vulnerability to land lethal strikes against his face and gut. Before any fate-sealing hits could land, Jackson slammed his barefoot against the attacker's chest and sent him stumbling to the handrail. His elbow then shot against the nose of the man holding him, taking roughly three blows until the man's grip loosened. Jackson took no time once he could wiggle through, immediately turning around and meeting the man's jaw with his bloody knuckles.

Despite his experience, he was only one man. Soon overcome by the bodies around him, with no room to distance himself and Blake, he was forced to the ground. Even with the steel-toed boots beating against his ribs, he was still fighting back - using brief pauses in their kicks to smash his fist against their exposed kneecaps. It wasn't until the swift kick to the bottom of his nose, did he lose his will to fight back. His head snapped back, an intense ringing beating against his eardrums. His dazed stare moved up to Blake, who was held around the neck by one of the goons. He wanted to break out of the circle and pry the man's arms off of her, but every boot to his ribs and back pulled that possibility further and further away from his grasp. The men had managed to subdue him, wrapping a burlap sack around his battered, bloody head.

Bellz (Blake) Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Eli Porter​

Eli had been left astray in the center of the table, the natural sunlight beating down on him through the skylight. His bleached white clothes clung to his skin like a tightly woven fishing rod. Even with his hand cuffed to the table, he laid slumped and motionless. His eyes hadn't even moved to James once he took his seat. While his brain receptors tried to fire at the sight of a familiar face; his mind swayed aimlessly, like a wooden boat drifting upon the calm surface of the ocean, with no land insight. His eyes rested on the open space of wall beside James, so motionless that it would cause others in the room to blink on his behalf.

After a seemingly endless pause of silence, his chapped lips finally formed. "Crazy, in'it?" He asked softly, his eyes squinting slightly. "One day, Elijah is a free man. He got nice cufflinks, a cotton sweata', and diamond rings upon his fingas'. Beautiful, long hair - silky smooth, with a bit of spice to it." His finger tips, seemingly methodically, stroked the edges of the metal bar. "Cut down in my prime, I was. Bloody robbed to the bone. All I wanted was a piece of the biscuit. She was greedy, mate. She wouldn't give me even a nibble."

His glassy eyes slid to James, not twitching in the slightest. "Cast aside. Why me?" His chapped lips exposed his brittle teeth, cracks running along the surface of his gums. "I just wanted to play with the big boys. They punished me for it."

Misty Gray (James)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

Ryan would been impressed with how well Conor held his temper if the mood between them hadn't been so sour, especially compared to his younger days. Ryan knew the punch was coming, Conor even verbally cued it for him by insulting him. Still, Ryan had never actually had Conor's fist aimed at him before and it was faster than he remembered when it was aimed at others. Thinking that he'd have more time, Ryan reacted too late to avoid the punch entirely. Instead of weaving his head out of the way while deflecting the blow, Ryan was barely able to throw his forearm up against the massive tree trunk of an arm and start shifting his head away from the fist that inevitably made contact. Even with the blow softened, Ryan felt the lights flicker for a split second before catching himself on one knee as his body twisted from the force of the blow.

Ryan felt shellshocked and it was only due to his training he was able to continue any semblance of a fight. He torqued his body so it put whatever leverage he could into the punch he directed at the side of Conor's thigh, the part of the man that he was now level with. Even in his current state, Ryan could see Conor flinch from his leg muscles pinched against the femur. He took the opening to lunge away from Conor to create some space from his opponent. Ryan quickly rounded to face Conor, who was now slightly beyond arm's reach. His adrenaline was helping clear his jarred senses and he could taste iron as something dribbled from his lip. "Come on! I've had rougher foreplay!" The loud words took some effort and it was mostly to bolster himself rather than taunt the massive man in front of him.


Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan
​

Conor briefly glanced to his own clenched his fist after hitting Ryan. Despite the provocation he'd received from his former friend, he was still surprised he'd put the full force into his punch rather than holding back like he thought he would for someone he'd liked up until a few minutes ago. What was also surprising was his desire to continue with the fight, even before Ryan dealt his retaliating blow. The next thing he knew, he was feeling the impact of Ryan's fist slamming into the side of his thigh. The pain and shock of his muscles being squashed against his thighbone caused his leg to buckle. Conor managed to remain standing, but there was a pause as he groaned and made a conscious effort to block out the pain in his leg.

"If you wanted to get me into bed, you shudda just taken me out for lunch..." Conor replied. Despite it being a joke - his automatic response to many situations - it was said in a deadly serious tone and the anger remained on his face. Conor glanced to the floor before he retrieved the oil filter Ryan had tossed aside. He grabbed it and threw it directly towards Ryan's head. It wasn't quite his intention to hit the man, but more to distract him while he got steady on his sore leg.

As Conor already calculated his next move, there was a brief moment that popped into his thoughts. It had been a couple of months since he was sat in the kitchen being lectured by James, Lucy, that prick Montag, and even his friend Jackson. He'd been told to stop picking fights and getting himself arrested. Given the context of this and the fact there wasn't a cop in sight, he considered that whole lecture irrelevant right now. Besides, Ryan's provocation and how good it felt to finally release some of his aggression made Conor have no desire to stop yet. Having chucked the oil cap at Ryan, Conor then charged at him. He grabbed the collar of the man's overalls and pushed him backwards, slamming him against the side of one of the cars in the garage. The window of the passenger side of the car cracked against the impact of Ryan's back, but the dented glass remained balancing within its frame. Conor glanced to the broken window, his subconscious telling him to make sure Ryan hadn't been stabbed at all by any sharp piece of glass. Thankfully he hadn't. Conor was also kind of relieved it was his own car that had been damaged. He figured he'd be in enough trouble without James kicking off about his cars as well.


Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Shireling]

Rudolph Meyers
​

"Europa ist ein alter ort, Europe is an older place," Rudolph said, setting down his drink, "America is young and her heart pumps blood with strength and vigor. Europe is an old man, but you will see that old age has the comforts of tradition and we are much further along in our striving for eudemonia. Perhaps, of course, it is the Wars that have beaten the aggression out of us and broken our will to fight, I do not know." He leaned against the counter, "You are right though, it is unusually quiet. The younger children must be at some game outside, and the older ones pouring out their young hearts to their newfound loves. They are reaching that age."

Rudolph strode a short distance to a nearby window and peaked through the curtains to see if he could see any of the children outside, which he could not. He turned to look where Shannon had disappeared, then back to Arlene.

"I suppose when Miss Shannon comes back we can get you settled in one of the guest rooms," he said after a second or two. He downed the rest of his glass and set it down on the top of the liquor cabinet, taking a silver cigarette case from his coat and placing a handrolled cigarette in his mouth, he lit it with an automaton-like flick of the wrist and a zippo lighter that bore the insignia of the 3rd Battalion, Irish Guards of the British Army. He blew a short puff of smoke, then offered her the cigarette case. "You do smoke, don't you?"

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James watch as Elijah's gaze rested on a spot somewhere behind him. He didn't look over his shoulder or even wonder what his brother was looking at. From visiting him during his last stint, he knew the chances were there was nothing of interest behind him and Elijah was merely in a drug-induced daze. One of the worst parts about visiting his brother in the institution was seeing Elijah drugged up to the eyeballs. It infuriated him to no end to know the only efforts the staff in the had to make were the ones of keeping the inmates subdued. Other than that, they prisoners were cast aside as lost causes and given no chance of recovery nor redemption. Still, James knew not to voice such thoughts and instead try to give Elijah as much as he could during his short visits.

When Elijah finally spoke, James slowly nodded his head. Things would never have been straightforward, but James felt if he'd at least been able to get his brother away from Ciara's clutches then he would have had to chance to be a free man for longer. "Long, silky smooth hair?! I must have missed that day," James sarcastically remarked. "I agree, though. You were robbed. Ciara is a selfish bitch and she led you into the path of assholes like Grant. And slimy fuckers like Jared." He shook his head and took a deep breath, not wanting to sour the visit too much. He sat forward and looked to his brother. "Ciara's locked up in jail now and I'm planning on visiting her soon. Want me to pass on a message to her?" he asked. Whether good or bad, hopefully bad, James would pass the message on to Ciara.

James sat back as Elijah questioned why he'd been cast aside and that he'd been punished for wanting to play with the big boys. Most people saw the dangerous and unhinged side of Elijah, which was to be expected, considering. But James only saw his brother and the softer side of him that was inhibited by his mental illness. He wished things could have been different for Elijah.

"When I was living back in Chicago, I destroyed a lot of Vinnie Romanos 'toys'. Miserable asshole retaliated by burning my house down. Ruined my jukebox and destroyed all of my photographs. I had pictures of our family in that house," he explained. "A little while ago, Shannon gave me some old photographs from back in the day - back when our old man and Emmet Sullivan were making their mark on Chicago." James reached into his pocket, causing one of the wardens to step forward and almost intervene. "Settle down. It's already been cleared when your friends were touching me up during the search," James firmly told the guard, sending him an irritated glare. James then looked back to Elijah and placed two photographs on the table in front of them. Written on the back of each was the name 'Ronan'. "Dad loved that coat. Do you remember? He said it had the best pockets for his knives, his guns and his under-the-counter acquisitions!"

Spoiler: Ronan Porter

Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene listened as Rudolph spoke of the differences between Europe and America, gazing to her now empty glass as she did. She then placed the glass down on the side and brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "If what you say is accurate, then perhaps I'll stick around. I think a little tradition and old age could be a good thing, for a while, at least. I wouldn't change New York's youth for anything, but even I need a break from it," she told him. Judging by the things she had already heard, things in Dublin weren't exactly peaceful and serene, but it would at least prove as a much needed change from her life back in America.

Arlene scoffed at mention of the teenagers experiencing young love. "Ah shit. I bet Lucy and James are loving that!" she remarked. "I know about Sinead's three kids. Finn's still loved up with Eleanor. What about Conor? Auntie Shannon never mentioned much of him when I did call her. I take it he's still drinking and bed-hopping? That jerk will never settle down," she fondly observed.

"Ah, I won't rush Shannon. Had I called ahead I know she'd have had a room ready for me. Also, I simply won't rush her. I'm not getting on her bad side on my first day here!" she joked. When Rudolph offered her a smoke, Arlene paused before nodding her head. "I keep telling myself I'll stop smoking, but then I get offered one and I just can't refuse," she told him. She took a cigarette from the case and placed it into her mouth so she could light it with the zippo Rudolph was holding out. "Thank you," she said whilst holding the smoke between her teeth and handing to lighter back him.


Shireling (Rudolph)